Unauthorized Water Consumption and Cocoa-Driven Nature Loss in Ghana's Pra Basin

Cocoa production in Ghana has long been associated with deforestation and encroachment into protected areas, yet little is known about its water consumption patterns. Although data on cocoa yield and planted areas are available, comprehensive insights into water use by cocoa plantations remain limited. This study, conducted under the Transforming Agrifood Systems in West and Central Africa (TAFS-WCA) initiative by CGIAR, presents an innovative modeling framework to bridge this knowledge gap. By integrating open-access Earth observation data, global geospatial datasets, and the Water Accounting Plus (WA+) framework, the study quantifies water availability and water consumption linked to cocoa production and encroachment-driven activities in the Pra Basin, Ghana's largest southwestern river basin and a critical cocoa production zone spanning approximately 23,200 km² across five regions.

Over the 2004–2020 period, the basin received an average annual rainfall of 1,430 mm, with 88% consumed as evapotranspiration, amounting to a total water consumption of 29 km³/year. Cocoa production accounts for 30% of this total, with monoculture cocoa dominating (84%), agro-protected cocoa contributing 14%, and shaded cocoa consuming just 2%. Notably, agro-protected cocoa, which encroaches on protected areas, constitutes 24% of water consumption in these sensitive zones, with 1.22 km3/year of unauthorised water consumption, posing significant threats to biodiversity conservation. Cocoa water productivity ranges from 0.019 kg/m³ to 0.061 kg/m³, highlighting variability across regions.

These findings underscore the critical implications of agricultural-driven nature loss on water resources and biodiversity, emphasizing the need for sustainable cocoa production practices. The study provides actionable insights to inform policy and guide decision-makers in balancing agricultural development with environmental conservation.